ZIMBABWE:Bearing the scars of a police beating, Zimbabwe's main opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai was sent from court to hospital yesterday as outrage grew over president Robert Mugabe's violent crackdown on political dissent, Joe Humphreysin Pretoria.
Mr Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), appeared in court in Harare with other activists who were seriously injured following their arrest at a weekend prayer meeting.
His head half-shaven to reveal a freshly-stitched gash, Mr Tsvangirai's lawyers said he was still suffering from headaches and disorientation after being allegedly tortured in custody. He limped out of the heavily-guarded courthouse into an emergency vehicle, which took him for further treatment in hospital.
"The police assaulted defenceless civilians, but the struggle continues," AFP reported him as saying to bystanders before he was shepherded away by police.
Mr Tsvangirai's lawyers said he was not charged yesterday as the state prosecutor had no instructions. Under Zimbabwean law, detainees must be released or formally charged within 48 hours. It was unclear last night whether this condition would be met. Mr Tsvangirai's colleagues said he was tortured, along with several other MDC leaders, after Sunday's prayer gathering in Harare. Riot police shot dead a protester at the event.
About 50 activists arrested with Mr Tsvangirai also appeared in court yesterday. Some had to be carried into the building because of their injuries. Police have since rounded up hundreds of MDC sympathisers in Harare and the western city of Mutare. They also raided the main office of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions.
Louise Arbour, the UN high commissioner for human rights, called on Zimbabwe to conduct an immediate and impartial investigation into the "shocking reports of police abuse".
"This form of repression and intimidation of a peaceful assembly is unacceptable, and the loss of life makes this even more disturbing," she said.
US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice called for the immediate and unconditional release of opposition activists, saying: "The world community again has been shown that the regime of Robert Mugabe is ruthless and repressive and creates only suffering for the people of Zimbabwe."
UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon, the EU, Amnesty International and the human rights committee of the International Bar Association also have expressed concern. Moreover, South Africa - which has been under pressure to scrap its policy of "quiet diplomacy" on Zimbabwe - took the rare step yesterday of commenting.
In a statement, the country's deputy foreign minister, Aziz Pahad, said "South Africa urges the Zimbabwean government to ensure that the rule of law, including the respect for rights of all Zimbabweans and leaders of various political parties, is respected. Similarly, we appeal to leaders of opposition political parties to work towards a climate that is conducive to finding a lasting solution to the current challenges faced by the people of Zimbabwe."
Zambian president, Levy Mwanawasa, said: "The problem in Zimbabwe should be solved by Zimbabweans themselves."
The Mugabe regime defended its actions, accusing Mr Tsvangirai of inciting disorder and breaking a police ban on political demonstrations. Nathan Shamuyarira, secretary for information and publicity for Zimbabwe's ruling party Zanu-PF, said the MDC leader had been "asking for trouble for a long time".
"The MDC is always playing to the gallery of the international community. They want to demonstrate to Britain and America that there is violation of human rights in Zimbabwe, so they provoke action with the purpose of impressing their overseas bosses," he said.